Conservation Tool Kit
What type of area is officially protected by governments to preserve ecosystems and wildlife?
National park or protected area.
What is the term for harvesting only selected trees while leaving the rest of the forest intact?
Selective cutting.
What is the term for harvesting fish faster than they can reproduce?
Overfishing
Which international agreement regulates trade of endangered species?
CITES
What is the term for breeding endangered species in captivity and releasing them into the wild?
Captive breeding.
Wildlife corridors are designed to connect what?
Fragmented habitats.
What is the term for cutting down all trees in an area at once?
Clear-cutting.
What is the term for accidentally catching non-target species during fishing?
Bycatch
What does the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) aim to protect?
Biodiversity
What is an invasive species?
A non-native species that spreads and causes harm to ecosystems.
If a mountain lion population becomes isolated after highway construction, which conservation strategy would best reduce genetic isolation?
Building a wildlife corridor.
Why is selective cutting generally more sustainable than clear-cutting?
It maintains habitat, reduces erosion, and preserves biodiversity.
How do catch limits help prevent fishery collapse?
They allow fish populations time to reproduce and maintain stable numbers.
Why are international conservation agreements sometimes difficult to enforce?
Countries have different economic priorities, laws, and enforcement capacities.
Why did banning DDT help bald eagle populations recover?
It stopped eggshell thinning and improved reproductive success.
Why are seed banks important even if plant species still exist in the wild?
They preserve genetic diversity and protect species from extinction due to disasters, disease, or climate change.
Why can replanting only one tree species after logging reduce biodiversity over time?
It creates a monoculture that reduces ecosystem resilience and species diversity.
Why is crop rotation more sustainable than planting the same crop repeatedly?
It improves soil health and reduces pests and chemical dependency.
How does CITES reduce species decline?
By restricting or banning international trade of threatened species.
Why do marine protected areas often increase fish populations outside their boundaries?
Spillover effect from protected breeding populations.
According to island biogeography theory, is it more effective to create one large protected area or several small ones?
One large protected area because it supports more species and reduces edge effects.
What forestry strategy best balances economic timber needs with long-term biodiversity conservation?
Selective cutting combined with replanting diverse native species and long-term forest management.
If a country bans fishing of one species for five years, what long-term ecological outcome is expected?
Population recovery and improved ecosystem stability.
What happens to global conservation efforts if a major country refuses to follow international biodiversity agreements?
Conservation efforts weaken and become less effective globally.
If illegal hunting continues due to poverty near a protected park, what additional conservation strategy would improve success?
Community-based conservation with alternative economic opportunities such as ecotourism.